Sweden's largest burial mound raided by looters

The Swedish news site SVT has reported that Anundshög, a major Viking Age burial mound, has been raided by unknown looters.

Although it is not yet clear what artifacts were taken during the raid, local officials are said to be outraged at the desecration of such an important historical site. 

A senseless attack 

Anundshög, situated just outside the city of Västerås in central Sweden, is believed to be the largest burial mound in Sweden.

Built between the 5th and 11th century CE, it has a diameter of 60 meters and a height of approximately 9 meters. In addition to Anundshög itself, the area also contains a further 11 burial mounds, ten round stone settings, and the remains of five boat burials.

According to SVT's report, visitors to the archeological site on Tuesday, May 6, found evidence of a series of pits that had been dug without permission.

Speaking to SVT, Västerås Museums director Nina Eklöf confirmed that two of the boat burials had been looted, while one of the pits was dug in a suspected site of cremation. To date, close to 60 pits have been identified in the area.

"It is extremely unusual for looting to occur on this scale at one of Sweden's most significant Viking Age sites," Eklöf commented to SVT. "It is impossible to explain the feeling of how someone so quickly destroys something that has been here for thousands of years." 

• READ MORE: The Viking history of Sweden at a glance

The Anundshög complex contains several burial mounds and a large stone ship setting from the Viking Age. Photo: Robin Müller (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Not the first 

It should be acknowledged that there is a long tradition of grave plundering in Scandinavia, with the practice particularly common in the Viking Age.

It is even possible that Harald Bluetooth was responsible for plundering both Oseberg and Gokstad, two of the most important ship burials in Viking Age history, as reported by The Viking Herald.

The evidence also suggests that Anundshög itself was also raided on several occasions in the distant past.

Unfortunately, the present-day attack is not the only recent example of an attempt to identify historical treasure and, presumably, sell it on for profit.

In England, two metal detectorists were responsible for illegally selling off a huge hoard of Viking Age treasure they had unearthed in a field in Herefordshire. Although the two perpetrators were subsequently arrested and jailed, most of what is today known as the Herefordshire Hoard remains missing.

Nevertheless, the attack on the Anundshög site has come as a shock to the local community and Sweden as a whole.

Indeed, the Swedish Minister of Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, commented that "This is not just theft: it is a completely indecent vandalism of our common cultural heritage." 

• READ MORE: Beyond Birka – Viking sites around Lake Mälaren that shaped Swedish history

Swedish law imposes penalties of up to four years in prison for damaging or disturbing ancient remains. Photo: Gunnar Creutz (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Possible jail time for perpetrators 

According to SVT, a report has been filed with the local police, who have been talking to local residents to try and gain more information.

At the time of writing, however, they do not have any significant leads. Although there have been suggestions that the raid was carried out by professional thieves, this theory has not yet been confirmed.

The desecration of a designated archeological site is considered a crime under the Swedish Cultural Environment Act.

Under this law, anyone found guilty of damaging, excavating, or removing something from an ancient monument without permission can be sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for up to four years.

In a separate article, SVT also notes that a man was videotaped looking for finds in the area using a metal detector without a permit in October last year.

There is no indication yet, however, that the man is linked to the current case. Other metal detectorists and history enthusiasts in Sweden are urged to request permission from local authorities before undertaking any investigations.

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